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Why Webinars? The Benefits of Online CE

Of course lifelong learning is great. It helps grow your practice, inspire new pursuits, renew your dedication, and make you look smart at parties. But with such a wealth of educational opportunities, why choose online education? What does the webinar format offer that’s different from any other workshop or class?

1. Learn from Home

The convenience factor here is huge. Forget about overnight bags, gas station bathrooms, and dressing to impress. Forget about rescheduling your regular clients and worrying about how they’ll manage when you’re gone. For that matter, forget about missing three days worth of income, and worrying about how you’ll manage when you’re gone. With Tools for Touch webinars, you never have to leave home. (Technically, you don’t even have to leave your pajamas. Don’t worry, we won’t tell!)

Earning CE credits in pajamas or bare feet? No problem

2. Learn at Your Own Pace

Tools for Touch webinars are fabulous for all kinds of learning styles. They’re live, right in the moment, with a qualified instructor, but each webinar is also recorded.

This means anytime you need to review, you can watch the entire thing again.

This means you can focus on watching rather than scrambling to take notes the entire time.

If you’re into intensive learning sessions, you can watch all of the presenters live, right in a row. But if you need to spread things out and give yourself time to reflect in between, you can choose one or two presenters to watch live, and save the rest for later. Fit your learning into the framework of your work, family, and personal life, rather than trying to reschedule your life around a class.

3. Learn From Diversity

Each Tools for Touch webinar includes instructors from a wide variety of backgrounds, each teaching a different kind of subject matter. So in each webinar, you’ll find not only information you’ve been wanting to learn forever from instructors you trust, but new ideas and people who were completely off your radar before. It’s a great opportunity to expand your vision, try something outside your comfort zone, and develop skills in an aspect of the wellness industry that might never have occurred to you. And all at once! What are the odds of all these people visiting your hometown for a personal class in the near future?

4. Learn From The Best

Earn CE hours from NCBTMB-approved providers . . . when it's most convenient for you.

Choosing to take an in-person class with someone can be nerve-wracking. It’s a significant investment of money, energy, and time, and unless you already have personal experience with the instructor, you never know whether the whole thing’s going to be a total bust.

Luckily, At Peace Media is here to do the legwork for you, hand-picking from among the best presenters around.

You can look forward to learning from professionals who not only know their stuff, they know how to communicate it so that you can know it too.

Ready to learn? Register now for our June 5th Tools for Touch™ webinar, featuring 9 CE credits worth of theory, technique, and ethics.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Cheers!

The whole production crew
Tools for Touch™ Webinars 

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Pro-bono for promotion – how about getting paid instead?

Free chair massages, sketchpads, comics, therapy dogs and a ‘graffiti walk’ where you can express your angst? What is this, a spoof of a new spa concept?  Well no, guess again, it’s a student relaxation center at the U. of Tennessee in Knoxville.

“The UT libraries are trying to help students relax and recharge,” says Libraries Dean Steven Smith. “Students spend many hours in the library, so we have a unique opportunity to help students engage with campus life and forge the personal connections that are as essential to academic success as books and computers.”

Sounds kind of like a pop-up store, except the purpose is to soothe frayed nerves during finals week . . . universities sure have come a long way down the path of enlightenment since, ahem, we were in school.

Relaxation Massage – Why not?

 So who’s bankrolling this relaxation center – oh, and did we mention there’s an ice cream social too – which the library has dubbed, ‘De-Stress for Success’? And if you’re a massage professional looking for promo ideas, what’s the take-away here?
1.  Pro bono massage does not have to be free. According to our contact at the Knoxville Massage Therapy Center (KMTC), they are being compensated for their participation in this event; it’s not a freebie.  Parents, the library, alumni and the Graduate Student Senate pooled the funds to make this happen. If you visit the UT event webpage here, you’ll see that even though KMTC is being paid for providing the chair massages, they’re still noted on the UT website as the massage provider. Not bad!
2. The promotional benefit of paid collaboration.  Consider offering up a ‘family and friends’ promo or discount rate  before you cave to giving away your massage services free of charge. You’re providing something of value and it’s not mass-produced or factory-made but customized for each individual. It’s not unreasonable to ask for some compensation, even if you’re doing the massage work at a special promo rate for a good cause, like stressed-out students.
3.  The good publicity does not have to end when the massage is over. When you participate in a creative event like this, don’t forget to bring along your smart phone and take short videos or still photos (with permission) showcasing your participation – especially when the promo is an ‘out of the box’ concept like this one.  Post the pix and tell folks about the event on your website and your blog and then draw attention to it via Facebook, Twitter, Twitpic, etc.  Old PR saw:  It’s not enough to get good publicity; more media outlets are better so share the experience and the publicity!
Last words: So the next time you see a librarian, say ‘thanks’ and tell them how much you admire good ol’ UT Libraries Dean Steven Smith for recognizing the the value of massage – even in the library – to ease student stress.

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Customer Service at 11,000 feet

The wind screamed in my ears, and the snow that flew past my face was practically horizontal. I was skiing in the middle of a blizzard, at 11,000 feet above sea level on a mountain in Utah. Looking around, I saw a tall figure nearby. “Can we get down over here?” I shouted, pointing left.

A woman’s voice with a European accent answered through the wind “No, go over there. I’m a masseuse and emergency room nurse. You need a massage later today?”

Everyday Marketing without being a Smarmosaur . . .

Although all the business gurus say it’s necessary to market yourself 24/7, it’s not possible to take that advice literally. Even if you were somehow able to train yourself to market in your sleep, there are plenty of times when it’s ALWAYS inappropriate to pitch your services:

1. During the climactic scene of the year’s most anticipated blockbuster film, in a packed movie theater on opening night.
2. In the middle of a heated argument with your spouse.
3. While being arrested.

Ridiculous examples aside, are all other moments equal? Is it possible to market yourself in your daily life without coming across like a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman?

Yes, it can be done. The trick is to look at the people around you, and ask yourself one question: “Can I help?”

 Can I help? 

If you saw a child’s ball about to roll into the street, you’d run a little to catch it and throw it back. If your neighbor was struggling on his porch with two bags of groceries, you’d offer to hold open the door for him. So if you see a pregnant woman holding her aching back, or your accountant popping another aspirin on April 14th, or a stranger in the bookstore skimming through a copy of Train For Your First Marathon in 6 Months or Less, why wouldn’t you offer assistance as a wellness professional?

The kid down the street isn’t going to say, “Hey you, get your hands off my ball!” and the runner with a dream won’t be offended by your offer to help him reduce his recovery times between training sessions. Helpfulness is an important kind of courtesy. If you keep your eyes open, you’ll find people who could benefit from your skills every day.

Back to my winter adventure . . .

Two hours later, exhausted and sore from the strain of skiing at high altitude in potentially deadly weather, I found myself totally relaxed, receiving deep-tissue work from the Dutch massage therapist who had assisted me at the summit, Corine. Her 30-second question on top of a mountain turned out to be exactly what I needed, right when I needed it. Where would I have been without her willingness to offer help?

Take a moment to think about the people in your life. Are they on a mountain, hunched over in the garden, or buried under paperwork? Who could use your help today?

Now quit thinking about it, and go talk to them! Your soon-to-be clients will be so glad you did.

- John Gelb, President, At Peace Media

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Spring Cleaning

“Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”

- Albert Einstein

You may have seen the recent article titled, 5 Tips for Energetic Spring Cleaning in Massage Magazine.  Very timely article as we too have been thinking about ways to clear out the cobwebs, the whole point being, to refresh our perspective and look at the world around us with a more enlightened, vital point of view.

So once you’ve cleared the decks and freshened up your space what else can you do to stay invigorated? We’re often surprised by how effective it can be to simply refocus the search for inspiration. The reality is, you never know when or where you will find inspiration; it’s not always like chasing a balloon.

Look at Albert Einstein. He was toiling away as a humble patent clerk in 1905; riding a bus to work one day when he glanced out the window at a medieval clock tower in Bern that he had probably walked by hundreds of times. Long story short – from that singular, everyday, unplanned experience, he evolved his now famous theory of relativity.

Sure, it’s easy for friends or family to say, go on a trip or get out of town – who wouldn’t enjoy the fun of that? But if that’s not an option and you’re still feeling blocked, there’s something to be said for taking a different look at what’s around you. Indeed, it is possible to cope with issues that may make you feel like you’re burnt out or running in place but not getting anywhere by just taking a different look at everyday sights.  Even the ordinary and the everyday can be made to seem newer, fresher . . . more interesting.

Consider this. You’ve probably heard the statistic that most accidents happen within 5 miles of your home; why not just flip this into a positive and see if you can find something quotidian within 5 miles of home that invites further exploration . . . the process can be quite fun and liberating!

Example: One day, I was riding my bike on a quiet street, taking in the sights and smells of the season. I saw an absolutely beautiful red maple leaf on the road, a discard from a nearby tree.  Not sure why, but this leaf on the asphalt just struck a chord with me and so I pulled a U turn, set my bike aside and just walked around the leaf taking photos of it from different angles, using one of my smartphone photo apps.  I could have just wheeled on by that leaf, but instead of zooming on, I took my time to pause and just concentrate on that one red leaf (images included here).

So keep moving, even if it just means a walk around your neighborhood, taking in everyday sights and sounds, but keeping your eyes peeled for something special, something extraordinary in the ordinary . . . Clear out that brain fog and view the everyday with fresh eyes!

- Jan, one of the TFT community scribes

P.S.  Tip:  If you ‘re a picture-taking fanatic like me, you may enjoy sharing what you shoot with AND deriving inspiration from the Instagram community. Pix here taken using Hipstamatic.

 

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Reasons to take continuing education

We’re well past that pesky New Year’s resolution time of the year.  Right now, we’re just about at that place in time when ambivalence begins to set in, when we start to think, “Hey, I still have MOST of the year left to kick my butt into a higher gear“, combined with a creeping sense that, “Geez, I guess I better get rolling on that personal strategic plan.”

Never fear, we found a little inspiration/motivation for you procrastinators (includes just about all of us, right?) that we’re happy to share with you on one item that may be on your annual resolutions list – continuing education.

Don’t just take our word for it, read what guest contributor Allissa Haines of Writing a Blue Streak has to say about the reasons to factor continuing education into your personal strategy stream!  Excerpts below courtesy of the AMTA Massachusetts chapter

There are a dizzying number of choices when it comes to continuing education courses. . .

Consider starting with the reasons you take continuing education to begin with. In addition to simply racking up hours in order to maintain your license, there are a number of excellent reasons to take continuing education. While ALL of these reasons will influence any massage therapist to one degree or another, deciding on your primary motivations will help you figure out which courses are right for you.

1. Market your practice.

This is often one of the first benefits of continuing education that massage therapists think of, probably because it’s one of the most frequently touted to students by their instructors. If a competitive edge in your marketing efforts is what you’re after, consider taking courses in massage for a particular population, like athletes, the elderly, or people with psychological trauma. Taking courses like this allows you to effectively focus on the special needs of a small group of people. Everybody wins!

2. Keep abreast of the latest knowledge.

Much like everything else in the universe, the massage world keeps on changing. If you’re feeling a little out of the loop with what’s new, you might want to take a course focused on the results of current research. Sometimes this takes the form of a panel discussion, or a lecture led by a researcher. Other times it could be an article to read, with online questions . . . all of these will, one way or another, help keep you in touch with the latest developments in the massage therapy world.

3. Remember what you learned in school.

Do you really believe you’re the only person who forgets people’s names after meeting them once at a party? Of course not, it’s a completely normal thing for people to do. Similarly, there’s no shame in taking a refresher course and getting back to basics. You might be surprised how well things stick in your brain when you learn them the second time around!

Get the ball rolling . . .

4. Make your practice  sustainable.

It’s great to get the ball rolling in your practice, whether your focus is on pampering, rehabilitation, or somewhere in between. But just as important as a strong start are the skills that will enable you to stay in the business in the long run.

5. Keep things fresh!

If you’re a newer therapist or a student, you might not be able to imagine being bored while giving a massage. But if you keep using the same basic set of tools, never trying anything different, over the course of many years, boredom is bound to set in eventually. To spice up your practice, try out a new technique. Check out something you’ve always been curious about, but never studied, whether that’s myofascial release or Thai massage. Learn to use a new tool, like massage stones or aromatherapy oils. If your background is primarily Eastern, try something based in Western medicine. If you do short, muscle-specific work on injured patients, pick up a relaxation technique or two.

Take a look at the full-length article by clicking here

We had the pleasure of visiting with Allissa in person at the recent AMTA New England Regional Conference where she presented a workshop.  Here’s a link to a video clip of her, live from the conference.

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More than pampering is right . . .

Hey massage therapists, an article published today in the Wall Street Journal by Andrea Petersen has a lot of info you already know from first-hand experience BUT it’s still great to see a mainstream national publication recap the therapeutic, not just the ‘feel-good’ value of massage therapy. You may want to print this out or save it as a PDF to give to your clients. There’s no such thing as an overly well informed client, right?

A few factoids and excerpts:

  • The American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society now include massage as one of their recommendations for treating low back pain, according to guidelines published in 2007.
  • The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), part of the National Institutes of Health, is currently spending $2.7 million on massage research, up from $1.5 million in 2002.
  • About 8.3% of American adults used massage in 2007, up from 5% in 2002, according to a National Health Statistics report that surveyed 23,393 adults in 2007 and 31,044 adults in 2002, the latest such data available.
  • A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 showed that full-body Swedish massage greatly improved symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee. Patients who had massages twice weekly for four weeks and once a week for an additional four weeks had less pain and stiffness and better range of motion than those who didn’t get massages. They were also able to walk a 50-foot path more quickly.
  • Massage was expected to be a $10 billion to $11 billion industry in 2011 in the U.S., according to estimates by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), a nonprofit professional organization.

“There is emerging evidence that [massage] can make contributions in treating things like pain, where conventional medicine doesn’t have all the answers,” said Jack Killen, NCCAM’s deputy director.

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It’s the journey that matters!

 It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.  - Ursula K. Le Guin

Welcome to the Tools for Touch community!  We’re on a new journey here to provide a comfortable, relaxed setting for news, conversation and support for the massage and bodywork community.

We’ll be adding features, forums and news in a rather serendipitous fashion, from a wide variety of contributors, including the talented folks who participate in our Tools for Touch™ webinars.  Thanks for visiting while we’re under construction here – we look forward to seeing you again soon.

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